First-Year Foundation Seminars
Woodsworth College's First-Year Foundation Seminars are open only to newly-admitted, Faculty of Arts & Science students (students who have completed 3.5 credits or less). They are half-credit courses that focus on discussion of issues, questions and controversies surrounding a particular discipline (or several disciplines), taught in a small-group setting that encourages participation and engagement with faculty and fellow students. FYF seminars are as rigorous and demanding as any other first-year course, but with a special focus on preparing students for success by developing their critical thinking, research, writing, and oral presentation skills. With a maximum enrolment of 30 students each, they are an ideal way to have an enjoyable and challenging small-class experience in your first year.
First-Year Foundation Seminars:
- Count as 1.0 or 0.5 of the 20 credits required for an HBA, HBSc or BCom degree.
- First-Year Foundation Seminars are not required to get into any Program of Study. However, they may count towards your Program. Please check with your college Registrar for further details.
- Can be counted towards the Breadth Requirement.
- Course enrolment instructions can be found on the Faculty of Arts & Science website.
Courses for 2026-2027
WDW199H1-F Indigenous Knowledge and Story-Telling in Toronto
The land now known as Toronto has a 13,000+ year history of Indigenous presence that is still unfolding. This history is inscribed in the land – it is visible in the geographical features, place names, and contemporary urban form of the city and is represented through stories (oral and written) told by diverse members of Toronto’s Indigenous community. This course engages with stories of Indigenous history and presence in Toronto through a selection of Indigenous literary works about Toronto, Indigenous guest speakers, and a series of experiential Indigenous storytelling tours of significant locations across the city. Students will be introduced to Indigenous worldviews and ways of knowing and will learn why storytelling remains a significant and culturally-appropriate means for keeping and sharing land-based Indigenous Knowledge. Students will gain a deeper appreciation of the city as a traditional Indigenous territory and will reflect on their own relationships and responsibilities within these lands. Restricted to first-year students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.
Breadth Requirement: Creative and Cultural Representations
WDW196H1-F From Rayguns to Light Sabres: Science Fiction in Contemporary Culture
This course examines science fiction as pop culture genre, media industry, and sociocultural phenomenon, with attention to some of its key themes, its important texts, creators, and audiences, and its place in contemporary culture. We will study some works chosen by the class as well as by the instructor. Restricted to first-year students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.
Breadth Requirement: Creative and Cultural Representations